Desert of Souls
Geography
This continent is massive, and is primarily desert. It is the driest part of this world, with the center receiving almost no rainfall. Is that water truly an oasis, or is it simply a mirage. The sandy dunes spread out as far as the eye can see, and the sound of ghostly wailing frequently echoes through the air. There are often dunes that stretch far into the sky, the work of bored spirits blowing huge mountains into existence, and pits so deep that you can't see the bottom. One of the main features is a massive freshwater lake, which is extremely ridged and stems off into many small rivers. There are huge desert cities located around it and on the coast, but there are many many miles of empty desert with no civilizations at all. There are many small oasis towns, and small settlements bordering rivers, but these are simply dots among the massive empty space that dominates the Desert of Souls.
Ecosystem
This continent is primarily desert, and therefore there is not as vibrant or lively an ecosystem is in other continents. There are many species of cacti, with the ones in the center capable of going months without water. Many benevolent ghosts like to go around and water plants that they find, which has allowed even more water-needy plants to thrive in the desert. As for animals, there are plenty who have evolved short, thick fur to keep out sand or scales to block it off. Many see very well in red light specifically, as the light from wraths is often plenty to hunt by. Almost no creatures in the Ceccene Desert have evolved any form of darkvision, as they have no need for it. It is almost always incredibly bright. The decomposers in this ecosystem typically come in the form of air riding spores, which come in large clouds. Benevolent ghosts will steer them in the direction of corpses, while malevolent wraths will steer them away.
Localized Phenomena
This continent has a dual purpose. Not only is a continent inhabited by many living creatures, it also serves as the plane of the dead. When a creature dies, they can become multiple things. Incredibly good people will be reincarnated as another member of their species, at soonest convenience. Moderately good people will become ghosts, incorporeal beings limited to roaming the desert. They will only be able to slightly interact with their environment, in mediums like wind, and to a degree sound. They are the main source of the constant wind present in this continent. Ghosts also have a very basic ability to control elements. For example, they can produce maybe a gallon of water in a day, or create a candle-flame for a few minutes a day. Bad people will become wraths, small spirits who glow slightly in an ominous red color. They are only capable of a loud wailing sound, alerting anyone nearby of their present. The worst of people simply have their soul destroyed. The Destroyer personally eats them, and takes great pleasure in doing so. Some consider this an honor, and live their life specifically to become part of The Destroyer when they die. It is rarely dark, as wraths and ghosts float around constantly and give off light. They do, however, have limitations. Namely, they cannot pass through soul dust and any air located above soul dust. It is produced by burning and blessing sand until it is blackened. It must them be reground into powder, and is typically included in the walls of houses to offer privacy.
Fauna & Flora
There are many diverse flora and fauna in the Desert of Souls, despite its barren landscape. For flora, there are around thirty different varieties of cacti, around fifteen of which are edible by most species. There are also many varieties of wild grass, which flourish under the light provided by ghosts. Wildflowers grow in abundance, providing a snack to many reptiles. There are a few varieties of ghost plants, plants that grow best under the light provided by ghosts. As for fauna, there are plenty of the traditional desert creatures. There are many small reptiles which hunt the small insects that hop around. There are the six legged spider kisp, small rodent like creatures that skitter across the ground in search of prey. There are the desert srirs, with their massive burrows to hide from the sun. As for sapient life, there are lizardfolk, the small, dark scaled creatures that trudge through the sand looking for a meal. There are srirlings, sentient versions of their smaller quadrupedal counterparts. There are humans, quick and having the ability to sweat. Finally, there are dragonlings, partially scaled and partially skinned creatures with their large wings that grant them flight.
Natural Resources
The main exports from the Ceccene desert are livestock, bones, meat, hide, skulls, and other products that can be derived from their livestock. They are quite famous for their bone flutes, instruments fashioned from bleached and cleaned bones. They also export soul dust, which is typically known to be incredibly pure and is used in many religious traditions. While it is occasionally produced elsewhere, only soul sand produced in the Desert of Souls is considered pure. They are also known for their exports of unique domesticated srirs and are the only continent with access to spider kisp, another common pet.
History
This is one of the few continents that has remained relatively untouched by the Horrors. The only significant alteration that was made explicitly by the Horrors is the alteration that led to it being the continent of the dead. This occurred in 12 AL, when the horrors realized that just letting spirits roam free was a bad idea. The Leader created the spirit judging process, and decided which fate each category would fall into. By 100 AL there were towns surrounding the water. By 500 AL there were flourishing cities. Piracy became very common in only around 150 AL, as it was easy to get away with. Five major nations formed between 500 and 520 AL, but were reduced to three 525 AL. A massive war sparked over land control, as two of them wanted total control over the lake and all of the land surrounding it, and the third was in the middle, desperately trying to protect the land they still had. They sparked the Adcidian War, which lasted for 53 years. There was no peace treaty, it ended when the country of Adci won. Adci is now the major ruling power in the Desert of Souls, controlling all of the territory around the lake. Due to the massive amount of civil unrest caused by the war, Adci has been rocked by huge civil wars ever since. In 834 AL, the country actually split, but the Second Adcidian war caused them to remerge, under new leadership. They are currently warring amongst themselves to this day, though it has mostly been reduced to a small rebellion that is stomped down by the authorities.
Alternative Name(s)
Ceccene Desert
Type
Desert
Included Locations
Characters in Location
Related Tradition (Primary)
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